


Deerest Day of Devotion

by ttacticianmagician



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: DLC outfits, F/M, FEH References, Fluff, Gift Giving, Humor, Minor Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Dedue Molinaro, Minor Marianne von Edmund/Hilda Valentine Goneril, Past Character Death, Platonic relationships are important too!, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), School Festivals, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:47:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29448762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ttacticianmagician/pseuds/ttacticianmagician
Summary: “Hey, Professor! Do you have any plans for the Day of Devotion?”Byleth froze in the midst of sorting her papers. She looked slowly up at Hilda and answered, “No.”“Aw, really? I thought for sure I’d see you at the festival!” Hilda pouted.“Is it because you do not have someone to accompany you?” Lorenz interjected. “I’m sure there are many who would be happy to spend the day with you.”A pang of sadness shot through Byleth’s chest like a well-aimed arrow, but she knew he said what he said with good intentions, so she tried to temper her grief as she replied.“I usually attended the Day of Devotion festival with my father. But…”Garreg Mach is holding a Day of Devotion festival in Imperial Year 1180. For Byleth, this will be her first Day of Devotion without her father. For Claude, this will be his first Day of Devotion period. It's fortunate then, that they're attending this festival of love together, even though they insist on going as a supervisor and assistant supervisor.
Relationships: Golden Deer Students & My Unit | Byleth, Minor or Background Relationship(s), My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 6
Kudos: 67





	1. Day of Devotion? More like Day of Dead Dads

**Author's Note:**

> As with all my fics, this started as a simple thing but became too long when I came up with too many ideas. There are 5 parts planned, and hopefully I will finish and post them all within the week. I just wanted to post this now while it's still Valentine's Day. :D
> 
> This chapter's title references the fact that FEH's Day of Devotion alts always include a main character and their (dead) dad. Not trying to pick on Jeralt or anything. Btw I was so expecting Byleth and Jeralt to be on this year's DoD banner! Ah well, maybe next time.

The Day of Devotion was a holiday celebrated in the middle of the Pegasus Moon. According to legend, it commemorated the day Saint Seiros and Emperor Wilheim first forged a pact to defeat the evil King of Liberation. Since then, the Day of Devotion was dedicated to all kinds of relationships, whether it be familial, platonic, or romantic.

To Byleth, it was one of the few times her father would drop the tough mercenary front and spoil his daughter rotten. No matter where in Fodlan they might be at this time of year, Jeralt would take her to the nearest festival to have some fun. They would watch performances, play games, eat all sorts of delicious food, and give gifts to each other, although the gift-giving was mostly one-sided when she was just a child. As she got older, Byleth eventually got enough money and know-how to pick out presents for her father, much to his delight and despite his insistence that ‘she shouldn’t have’. The smile Jeralt wore by the end of the day rekindled the love she had for him, and reminded her how fortunate she was to have him as her father.

However, in the Pegasus Moon of Imperial Year 1180, Jeralt was no longer with her. Neither was Sothis, for that matter. All she had now were new, painful emotions that reminded her of her losses whenever she glimpsed the Day of Devotion decorations being set up around the monastery. Garreg Mach’s Day of Devotion festival was reportedly the biggest one in the area, with people from all over descending upon the gates to partake. Byleth didn’t begrudge Garreg Mach for holding the festival, nor did she fault her students for getting excited about it. She just couldn’t look forward to a holiday centered around love anymore, not when the person she loved the most was gone.

Try as she might, her melancholy still managed to leak through her otherwise stoic facade. On a particularly sunny morning, right before classes were supposed to begin, the Golden Deer students engaged in idle chatter. As they usually did, to put off the start of their lessons. Hilda broached the Day of Devotion innocently enough, with a casual flip of her pigtails and genuine curiosity in her voice.

“Hey, Professor! Do you have any plans for the Day of Devotion?”

Byleth froze in the midst of sorting her papers. She looked slowly up at Hilda and answered, “No.”

“Aw, really? I thought for sure I’d see you at the festival!” Hilda pouted. 

“Is it because you do not have someone to accompany you?” Lorenz interjected. “I’m sure there are many who would be happy to spend the day with you.”

A pang of sadness shot through Byleth’s chest like a well-aimed arrow, but she knew he said what he said with good intentions, so she tried to temper her grief as she replied.

“I usually attended the Day of Devotion festival with my father. But…”

She couldn’t bring herself to finish the rest of her sentence. Besides, she made her point. A hush fell over the Golden Deer as eight pairs of eyes offered sympathetic looks to their teacher.

Eventually, Lorenz broke the silence, albeit reluctantly. “Professor, I must apologize for what I said in carelessness. I did not intend to dredge up bad memories.”

“It’s ok.”

“Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t join the festivities anymore.” Claude butted in. “How about you hang out with us Golden Deer? Not that we’re trying to replace your father, mind you.”

“Can I?” Byleth blurted out. Despite all the trials and tribulations they went through as a class, the thought never crossed her mind. Now that Claude brought it up though, she felt embarrassed that she never considered it.

“Yeah! It’ll be fun, Professor!” Raphael cheered. “Garreg Mach’s Day of Devotion is going to be huge, so you won’t run out of things to do! Even with all of us!”

“Although some of us have volunteered to help run various stalls and activities at the festival, so don’t expect everyone to be with you at all times.” Lysithea pointed out.

“Hm. I don’t know…” Byleth muttered. “As your teacher, I’m already with you five days a week. Do you truly want me by your side for another day? For a joyous day reserved for family, friends, and lovers, at that?”

“Of course!” Hilda remarked loudly. “You’re our friend, aren’t you?”

“Yeah! We owe our progress and victories to you!” Leonie chimed in. “Most of them, anyway.”

“Not to mention, you’ve been so kind and patient with us.” Ignatz said, barely above a whisper. “I couldn’t imagine this class without you as our professor.”

“I-I agree.” Marianne stammered out. “Please join us at the Day of Devotion. You won’t be a burden, I promise…”

The sudden outburst from all of her students stunned Byleth to silence. She didn’t think they would feel so strongly about this. In the face of such passion, she would normally feel obligated to accept their invitation, but she still harbored some trepidation that held her back. Maybe she initially refused not because she was their teacher, but because she hadn’t completely gotten over her father’s absence and didn’t want to damper the Golden Deer’s otherwise lively spirits.

As if sensing the exact reason for her hesitation, Claude offered up his own suggestion. “If you want, you can attend the festival as our supervisor instead. Since a lot of us are running stuff at the Day of Devotion, it’s only natural that our professor would check in on everyone to make sure everything is going smoothly.”

Byleth considered his words for a moment, then nodded. That sounded like a fair compromise to her. “Alright. How many of you are going to work at the festival?”

Leonie’s hand shot straight up. “I am! I’m going to help out with the tournament!” 

“Hey, me too! Didn’t know we volunteered for the same thing!” Raphael exclaimed with a smile.

“Well, I’m making cakes for the cafe.” Lysithea puffed out her chest a bit. “I hope you get to sample at least one, Professor.”

“As for me, I will be at the flower shop, distributing roses and the like.” Lorenz proclaimed just as proudly as Lysithea. “I will have one reserved especially for you, when you stop by.”

“You can find me at the gift shop, which should be next to the flowers.” Hilda spoke up next. “Lots of people are working there besides me, so my shift probably won’t be very long and I can enjoy the festival with you guys.”

“Oh, really?” Ignatz perked up at what Hilda said. “I’m supposed to work at that booth too.” 

“Um, I volunteered to work with the horses. Except, they’re mostly for giving rides to small children, so I don’t know if you’ll have much of a reason to visit me…”

“Aw, don’t be like that Marianne!” Hilda smiled at her. “The professor definitely has enough time to drop by and say hello!”

Byleth’s head swam while she tried to keep track of everyone’s jobs, but she managed to notice something important. “What about you, Claude? You’re the only Golden Deer that hasn’t volunteered for anything.”

“Is that so?” Claude sounded like he was feigning his surprise. “What a coincidence! I knew a bunch of you were signing up for various duties, but I didn’t think everyone except me would!”

“And why is that?” Lysithea leveled a piercing stare his way. “It would be nice if our house leader could show his support by pitching in with the rest of us.”

“Actually, I haven’t been able to volunteer  _ because _ I’m the house leader. Someone’s gotta take care of all the behind-the-scenes stuff while you guys get the fun jobs at the festival.”

“Somehow, I find that hard to believe.” Lorenz said with a stiff lip. 

“For once, I gotta agree with rose boy.” Hilda jerked her head at Lorenz. “That just means you’re the only one that can chaperone the Professor all day!”

“Excuse me? Rose boy?”

Lorenz’s protest went unanswered as Claude chuckled to himself. “Like I said, total coincidence. Although if it’ll make everyone feel better, I can assign myself to supervisory duties along with Teach.”

“That’s probably the only job you can get this late into the preparations.” Leonie groused.

“Hey, it’s better than nothing! And you wouldn’t mind, would you Teach?”

Claude’s green eyes glimmered with hope as they turned towards Byleth. She of course didn’t mind, but she also wondered if Claude had purposefully set this up. He didn’t need to, as she would have still accepted his company if he had just asked her directly. Then again, Claude wouldn’t be Claude without a scheme to make everything more complicated.

“I won’t mind. I’m glad to have you aboard, Claude.”

“Whew! Thanks for saving my hide!” He flashed a toothy smile as he leaned back in his chair, his voice laden with exaggerated relief.

“No need to thank me. I’m doing my job as your teacher.” Byleth stated plainly. She wasn’t about to give Claude more satisfaction than necessary. “But speaking of my job, it’s about time that we begin our next lesson…”


	2. You fool! Yellow roses mean frienzoning!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I'm posting chapter 1 and 2 concurrently because it's kinda a sparse start to the fic otherwise. Also making up outfits is hard.

Apparently, festival goers were supposed to wear special outfits during the Day of Devotion. Byleth didn’t know about that tradition, probably because the life of a mercenary prevented her father from buying a set of clothes she would only wear once a year. When the Golden Deer found out she didn’t have suitable clothes to wear, they took it upon themselves to find her the perfect outfit. Hilda in particular approached this problem with a kind of zeal Byleth never seen before.

Their labor bore fruit in the form of a white, flowy dress accented with gold and purple. A dress was very different from her usual attire, but at least the skirt opened up in the front to allow her legs greater movement. Its sleeves, although poofy at her wrists, left her shoulders exposed to the elements. Byleth thought would be a problem at first, as she wasn’t going to wear her trademark overcoat with this dress, but the weather turned out to be reasonably nice for the Pegasus Moon. When combined with the hustle and bustle a festival was sure to bring, she wouldn’t feel the cold at all.

Hilda may have contributed the most to the assembly, but Byleth inserted her own touches when appropriate. She kept her black lacy stockings and knee-high boots, which matched her half-purple skirt well. Her white collar with the gold medal and pink tassel remained. And attached to her belt was her dagger and the Sword of the Creator. She didn’t think she would need them, but a life of a mercenary and a hectic year at the Officer’s Academy taught her it never hurt to be prepared.

Byleth knew that she should get going, yet she lingered in front of her full-length mirror for a few more minutes. She resolved to not think of her father much during this special day, but her reflection made her wonder what he would think of her new clothes if he was here. He would probably tease her for wearing a dress for once in her life, but he would also smile and pat her shoulder like he did when he was proud of her. Just thinking about what she was missing tore at the wound she had been trying to heal. Byleth might’ve stayed in her room longer if she didn’t imagine Sothis’s voice alongside Jeralt’s. The ghostly girl would most likely berate her for being cooped up inside when there was a festival of love going on. And she didn’t want to disappoint her hard-working students, did she?

Sothis was right, even when she wasn’t here anymore. Byleth peeled her eyes away from the mirror and stepped outside. Claude was waiting for her at the gates of Garreg Mach, just a short walk away from the dormitories. Stares belonging to both familiar students and unfamiliar strangers followed after her, but she didn’t let them bother her. She was too focused on finding her assistant supervisor among the crowd. Which wasn’t difficult to do when he made a beeline to her as soon as he saw her..

It shouldn’t surprise Byleth to see him in a special Day of Devotion outfit, but it did. Claude was wearing a brown and dark green tunic over a white shirt, a half-brown, half-gold cape slung over one shoulder, and white dress pants. When she took a closer look at the tunic, it was embroidered with tiny deer made of gold stitching. Byleth thought he appeared quite dashing overall, but she couldn’t help but wonder who helped him pick out his clothes. Claude wasn’t a complete fashion disaster, but occasionally, he made questionable choices that even gave someone like Byleth a reason to pause.

“Heya, Teach!” He shouted and waved as he made his way over. “You look great! I mean, you always look great, but today you look especially ready to, uh, supervise the festival!”

“Thank you.” Byleth replied earnestly. It wasn’t like Claude to trip over his words at the mere sight of her, but she let it slide for now. “You look nice as well.”

“Really? Uh, I mean, thanks! An assistant supervisor has to look as good as his superior, am I right?”

“Right.” Ok, now his fluster was starting to worry Byleth. She needed him to be sound of mind for this job, so she switched to another topic before things got too awkward.

“Have you gotten started yet?”

“You mean with the supervising? Not really.” Thankfully, Claude managed to return to his normal level-headedness. “I just got here myself. Where should we begin?”

Byleth took a moment to survey their surroundings. At this time of day, the Day of Devotion festival was in full swing, and by standing in the marketplace, they were right in the thick of it. Where there used to be the weapons merchant, blacksmith, and battalion guildmaster, there were now colorful stalls full of flowers, jewelry, and other trinkets coveted by festival goers. Crowds of people streamed through the gate to browse through these goods, which were either sold by travelling merchants or students eager to raise funds for the Officer’s Academy. Judging from the great number of people that stuck to the marketplace, some attendees were just happy to shop until they dropped. But guests seeking other kinds of experiences could venture deeper into Garreg Mach. Byleth knew of a Day of Devotion cafe up near the tea gazebo, games and horse rides for the kids at the stables, an assortment of food stalls close to the dining hall, a tournament for pairs in the training grounds, and some kind of religious service in the cathedral. This year’s celebration was supposed to be more condensed than usual, due to safety concerns, but as this was her first festival at Garreg Mach, she honestly couldn’t tell the difference. It was still a lot larger and grander than the festivals she visited in the past.

“We’ll start where people usually head to first.” Byleth pointed her head towards the stalls of flowers. 

“The flower shop, huh?” Claude remarked as he followed after. “Not that I doubt your judgement, but why there?”

“Most attendees stop by the flower shop to buy matching flower accessories for themselves and their partner. To show off who they’re with.” Byleth responded. In the past, this was one of her favorite parts of the Day of Devotion because she could proudly proclaim who her father was with a pretty flower wrapped around her wrist or tucked in her hair. But now, she didn’t exactly have someone to share a flower with. There was Claude, but would he mind such a visible sign of their relationship? They were just a teacher and student, or a supervisor and assistant supervisor in today’s case. Nothing like a father and daughter or a pair of lovers. Although, maybe they could be considered close friends...?

She shook her head as the two of them approached the stall. This wasn’t the time to reminisce over Jeralt or Claude. She had a job to do.

The flower shop run by the Officer’s Academy students was filled to the brim with, well, flowers. Roses were the most plentiful flower to be sold, but there were also carnations, forget-me-nots, violets, sunflowers, and even some rare and exotic flowers painstakingly grown by the greenhouse staff. They were sold singly, in bouquets, or as wearable accessories. Byleth’s eyes were drawn to a pink rose flower crown that resembled one that Jeralt gave her a long time ago, only to be distracted by a flash of purple and red.

“Professor! Welcome to the Officer Academy’s flower shop!” Lorenz crowed. “We are honored that you would grace us with your lovely presence this morning. And as promised, I have a gift just for you.”

With a twirl of his hands, he procured a red rose out of thin air and gave it to Byleth. She noted that it was very similar to the one that was usually pinned on his chest, but she nonetheless accepted it gratefully.

“Thank you, Lorenz.” She instantly attached it to her own chest.

“Hey, Lorenz. You know that bribing Teach won’t automatically earn you a passing grade, don’t you?” Claude joked, much to the other student’s displeasure.

“It’s good to see you too, Claude.” Lorenz remarked icily. “To be clear, I was  _ not _ attempting to bribe the professor. This is just a gift to show my gratitude for all she has done for our class. You would do well to take notes on how to properly treat a lady as remarkable as the professor.”

“That’s-” Claude looked like he was going to retort back, but something stopped him mid-sentence. 

“It’s ok, Claude. I’m not that susceptible to flattery.” She told him before turning back to Lorenz. Behind him, Ashe and Dedue from the Blue Lions perked up at the sight of her. She said to all three of them, “I’m here to check on how things are going. Do you have enough flowers? Do you need anything else?”

“We should be all good with flowers!” Ashe replied cheerily. “The greenhouse managed to grow a lot of them this year. Maybe even too much.”

“That’s good.” 

“Professor, I have a favor I wish to ask of you.” Dedue spoke up. “But if you will be in the marketplace for a while longer, then it would perhaps be better if I wait until you finish.”

“What did need, Dedue?”

“I need you to bring something to the cafe by the tea gazebo. That is all.”

It seemed like Dedue was being vague about his request on purpose, but Byleth chose not to pursue the subject further. “I need to check on the other student stalls here first, but I’ll return to help you later. Is that fine?”

Dedue gave her a short nod. Byleth gave the brightly colored flowers one last glance over before turning to Claude. He was in the middle of an argument with Lorenz for some reason. Curious about what they could possibly be discussing, Byleth hung back to listen in.

“... What’s wrong with yellow? Yellow’s our class color. You can’t get more poetic than that.” Claude seemed perplexed by whatever was bothering Lorenz.

“You know nothing about the meaning of flowers, do you?” Lorenz let out an exasperated sigh. “Yellow means an undying friendship, and nothing more.” 

“Well, we  _ are _ friends, so what’s wrong with that?”

“Only an absolute fool would think that! Don’t you-”

Lorenz halted in his tracks when he spotted Byleth out of the corner of his eyes. He cleared his throat to draw Claude’s attention towards the interloper. Claude whirled around and flashed a toothy grin that did a poor job of hiding the conversation that took place seconds ago.

“Hey, Teach. Are you all done here?”

“Yes. But it looks like you still have matters to attend to.”

“That I do. Do you mind if I stay here for a bit? I’ll come find you when I’m done.”

“That’s alright. I’m going to check on Hilda’s and Ignatz’s gift shop.”

“Ok. Have fun!” Claude gave her a handwave that felt like he was trying to shoo her away. Byleth didn’t mind leaving him though. She heard the two men resume their heated discussion soon after she turned her back to them.

The gift shop was only a few steps away from the flower shop. And like its neighbor, it displayed a wide variety of goods with enough colors to rival a rainbow. Jewelry both simplistic and extravagant dangled from stands and sparkled in the bright sunlight. To the side, a gaggle of girls crowded around a mirror to try on hats and hair accessories. Hilda was working her signature charm, profusely complimenting them and subtly pushing them towards a purchase at the same time. Anna would be proud to see such a fine display of salesmanship.

It took a while for Hilda to notice Byleth, but when she did, she immediately abandoned her potential customers. “Oh, hey Professor! I didn’t expect to see you so soon!” 

“I was in the area.” Byleth responded. “How are you doing? Do you require any assistance?”

“Everything is peachy keen! Unless you want to give me a break. I never imagined there would be so many people here, and so many customers!” Hilda groaned.

Byleth could tell when Hilda was overdramatizing her reaction, so she didn’t muster much sympathy in her voice. “It’s for a good cause. Just remember that.”

“Yeah, yeah. I get it. But while I have you here, I got a present for you!”

Hilda gave Byleth a small plain box. She opened it up to reveal a preserved flower pendant strung on a leather cord. The dainty pink flowers inside the bottle of resin looked so intact, they looked as if they were just plucked. She got so lost in their pretty details, it took her an embarrassingly long moment to recognize them as valerians, her mother’s favorite flowers and the kind of flowers that her father left on her grave.

“Well, Professor? Do you like it?” Although Hilda’s tone sounded mostly hopeful, there was a hint of concern in there. She must have noticed the flicker of sadness that crossed Byleth’s face.

“I do. It's very pretty. Thank you, Hilda.” She put the necklace on right away, the pendant brushing against Lorenz’s rose pin in the process. How many gifts will she be wearing at the end of this, she wondered.

“Oh, good!” Hilda let out a sigh of relief. “Cause I knew your father liked those flowers, but I didn’t know if you liked them too.”

“They were actually my mother’s favorite flowers.” Byleth corrected her. “But I guess they’re also my favorite. This was very thoughtful of you, all the same.”

“Ah, Professor! You’re here!” A chipper voice belonging to Ignatz rang out from the back. “If you don’t mind, I have a present for you as well!”

Byleth nodded at Hilda in thanks before making her way around to Ignatz’s section of the stall. Here were an eclectic assortment of trinkets, ranging from stuffed animals to embroidered handkerchiefs to magic charms to… ornamental weapons? She stared at a fanciful white sword adorned with flowers and a red hilt while Ignatz fumbled through his wares.

“Now where did I put it… Oh! Here it is!” He finally pulled out something brightly colored and pressed it into her hands. It was a handmade fishing lure, Byleth realized, painted and shaped to look like a tiny fish. She turned the cute thing over in her palms to examine it from every angle.

“I love it. Thank you, Ignatz.” 

“You’re welcome!” The young man beamed. “I was wondering what to give to you, since it seemed like you basically have everything you wanted and could ever want. But then I remembered that you like to fish, and, well, even if you already have a lure like this, it couldn’t hurt to have more, right?”

“Actually, I don’t have a fishing lure like this. Because this one came from you.”

“Ah, Professor, thank you...” Ignatz’s face blushed a fierce red color. 

As she pocketed her new gift, her gaze returned to the elaborate weapons on display. Some of them were obviously the work of a master craftsman, like the bow with floral decorations and a scepter composed of yellow flowers. But other weapons could barely be called weapons in Byleth’s opinion, like the bouquet that was supposed to be wielded like a sword. The flowery white sword kept attracting her attention though, probably because it seemed like the deadliest thing being sold.

“Ignatz, where did these weapons come from?” 

“Oh, they’re from a merchant my family knows. He specializes in seasonal weapons, although as you can probably tell, they’re not meant for real fighting.”

“Yes. That much was obvious.” Still, Byleth gave into temptation and picked up the white sword. It was as light as a feather in her hands. “Do they have names?”

“The one you’re holding is called a Heart’s Blade.” Ignatz answered. “And this bow is Gratia, and this staff is a Loyal Wreath…”

He continued to list off names, but there were so many of them, Byleth lost interest in all of them except the Heart’s Blade. Even though it would be useless in combat, she gave it a few test swings just for fun. As she thought, the blade wouldn’t be strong or sturdy enough to last more than a few blows. But it did manage to startle Claude when she almost whacked his face with it.

“Whoa! Teach! What did I do to you?” He held up his hands in surrender. Byleth noticed just now that he was holding a pair of pink flower crowns for some reason.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Byleth returned the Heart’s Blade to the table. Ignatz didn’t say anything, but he made no effort to hide the relief on his face.

“What do you have there, Claude?” She gestured towards his mysterious flower crowns.

“Oh, these? I bought one of them for you.” Claude proudly passed a crown to Byleth before placing the remaining one on his head. “And this one’s for me. Happy Day of Devotion!”

“Claude, you shouldn’t have…” Byleth stared down at her crown. It was the same one she eyed when she first arrived at the flower shop. Did Claude notice how it caught her attention? If so, then what was he and Lorenz arguing about?

“What’s the matter?” A slight frown appeared on Claude’s face. “You don’t like it? Or… You don’t want to pair up with me?” 

“No. That isn’t it.” Byleth hurriedly shook her head. She considered telling him the reason for her hesitation, but decided against it at the last moment. She needed to get better about not thinking about her father and giving off the wrong impression. “I was just… taken off guard by your gift. But it’s very much appreciated. Thank you.”

She slipped the crown over her verdant locks and glanced at Claude. His frown turned into a silly grin at the sight of her. She first assumed he was laughing at how funny she looked, but it quickly became apparent that his smile was one of pure joy. That wasn’t something she saw from Claude everyday.

“You look nice in it. As I expected.” Claude winked. “Guess my impeccable sense of fashion works for other people too.”

“Omigosh! You two got matching flower crowns?!” Hilda suddenly appeared out of nowhere. “Both of you look so cute together! Ignatz, how much do I have to pay you to immortalize this moment in a painting?”

“H-huh?” Ignatz stammered.

“Ok, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” Claude said with laughter in his voice. “Just because two people have matching flower accessories doesn’t mean that they’re  _ involved _ . Because then I’d have to ask you about the white rose on your left wrist.”

Hilda’s hand immediately flew to the aforementioned flower that Byleth somehow never noticed before. The pink-haired girl giggled nervously at Claude’s accusation. “Yeah. That’s right. Silly me, counting my chickens before they hatch.”

“And Claude got these for purely work-related reasons.” Byleth piped up. “If he and I get separated, people will know who to return Claude to.”

“Hey, when I called myself a teacher’s pet that one time, I didn’t mean it like that!”

Hilda erupted into laughter. The joyous sound elicited more modest chuckles from Claude and Ignatz, and even a sound of amusement from Byleth. But as much fun as it was to stay here and chat, other parts of the festival needed supervision. Byleth and Claude regretfully bade farewell to the gift shop. They would have left the marketplace behind entirely, but Byleth remembered the promise she made to Dedue, and backtracked to see what kind of delivery needed to be made.


	3. It's time to class change... into a maid?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep changing the tags and the summary of this fic because I'm indecisive. Hopefully I'll settle on something permanent in the end...

Moments later, Byleth walked out of the busy marketplace with a large vase of flowers in her arms. It was as pretty as it was heavy, consisting of blue roses, baby's breath, white lilies, and other flowers she didn't recognize. Unfortunately, the flowers tickled her face and hindered her view of the path as she cradled it in her arms. Claude had to walk in front of her in order to keep the road clear and to direct her to its recipient in the pop-up cafe.

The cafe, which was really a collection of tables and chairs by the tea gazebo, looked quaint at first. Flowers and banners with the Blue Lions’ insignia were draped across any available surface. In the back, three girls were plating slices of cakes and brewing tea. However, Byleth wasn’t really concerned with anyone or anything besides her mission. She eventually spotted a blonde teenager wearing a white and blue suit that resembled... a butler’s uniform? It was certainly different from his usual black student uniform. As she strolled over to him, he glanced up and recited a greeting like a mantra.

“Welcome to the Blue Lions Cafe- Professor? Is that you?” Dimitri asked, bewildered.

“No. I’m actually Flayn.” She set the vase of flowers on a nearby table a little more forcefully than she should have. 

“Ah, please forgive my rudeness, Professor.” He bowed his head slightly. “I just didn’t expect to see you here. With an enormous vase of flowers, no less. Are they for me?”

“They are.” Byleth said while brushing stray petals off of her dress. “Dedue asked me to bring them to you. He said the cafe needed more decorations.”

“Is that so?” The prince of Faerghus stepped closer to examine the flowers. “I wasn’t aware that we were lacking in flowers, but Dedue would know best. Oh-”

His gloved hand plucked a loose blue rose from the floral arrangement. There was a pin attached to it, indicating that it was meant to be worn. Byleth vaguely recalled Dedue sporting a blue rose on his chest when she last saw him, so did that mean…?

Dimitri must have come to the same conclusion, because he fastened it to his shirt without hesitation. A sunny grin brightened his face as he offered his sincere gratitude. “Thank you for bringing me these flowers, Professor. Dedue and I are deeply grateful for your assistance.”

“You’re welcome. I’m just doing my job as a supervisor.” Byleth replied with her own smile. “Is there anything else Claude and I can help you with?”

“Actually, if you don’t mind…” Dimitri fidgeted in place. Whatever he was about to ask was apparently something he thought Byleth might decline. She watched him for several more seconds with an impassive yet sympathetic expression.

“Do you know how the Blue Lions Cafe operates?” He finally asked.

“I believe so.” Byleth answered. “You greet and seat the guests, Lysithea, Mercedes, and Annette prepare the food and drinks, and Ingrid and Sylvain serve them to customers. Is that correct?”

“Yes. And therein lies the problem.” Dimitri sighed. “Not too long ago, Sylvain was… driven out of the cafe by women he had scorned before. And then Ingrid left shortly thereafter.”

“To retrieve him?”

“No. Ingrid joined the women on their chase."

“Ah.” Byleth sighed. Somehow, she wasn’t surprised to hear any of this.

“So, as you can surmise, we are down two bodies. Ferdinand and Dorothea offered to take Ingrid’s and Sylvain’s place, but only after they’re finished with their duties. In the meanwhile, would you and Claude be willing to stay until they become available?”

“Ingrid and Sylvain aren’t going to come back?”

“I’m afraid not. Even if Ingrid manages to wrangle Sylvain back to the cafe, he would damage our reputation too much. We aim to provide a peaceful, accommodating, and, er, drama-free experience.”

“Ah.” She uttered again. “I’m amenable to the idea, but I would need to see what Claude thinks.”

“Of course. Your presence is a big help, even if you could only fill one vacancy.”

Byleth nodded towards Dimitri before turning towards Claude. He was chatting up a storm with Lysithea, although the young baker didn’t look like she was enjoying the conversation. Relief flooded her face while Byleth pulled Claude away to explain the situation to him. Claude’s face, on the other hand, was instantly twisted with skepticism.

“It feels kinda weird for the professor and the house leader of the Golden Deer to work for the Blue Lions Cafe. Why did you guys set up this anyway? I’ve never heard of an attraction like this for the Day of Devotion.”

“Annie and I came up with the idea, and everything else loved it.” Mercedes interjected. “Don’t you think there’s nothing more romantic than sharing a table with your lover, ignoring everything except the pair of twinkling eyes across from you and the delectable dessert in front of you-”

“Plus, you know how all the noble students here love tea and cake!” Annette cut off her friend’s rambling mid-sentence. “And how everyone else loves that stuff too, for that matter.”

“And you needn’t worry about the name. Or all the blue decor.” Lysithea added. “It’s just to get people’s attention.”

“Uh huh.” Claude snorted. “That’s also why Dimitri is wearing a butler’s uniform and you three are wearing maid’s dresses?”

“Actually, volunteers at the cafe  _ do _ have to follow a dress code.” Dimitri piped up. “Men will wear suits like mine, and women will wear maid’s dresses. I do apologize for the confusion. I should have been upfront about it.”

“It’s ok. I don’t mind wearing a maid’s dress.” Byleth reassured him.

“Wait, really?” All traces of reluctance vanished from Claude’s features. “If you’re serious, then I have to see this.”

“So you’ll stay with me?” 

“Yeah, sure. A butler’s uniform isn’t so different from this suit, I guess.” 

Byleth narrowed her eyes at him. It struck her as odd that of all things, the idea of her in a maid’s dress would convince him to take the job. But she couldn’t call him out, not when he might change his mind again and they couldn’t waste more time on petty arguments. Dimitri handed Byleth and Claude their new clothes and the two of them retreated into a nearby building to change clothes.

To her surprise, the maid's dress was the right size. And when she met up with Claude again, his butler's clothes also fitted him perfectly. The way its white fabric was cut made his lean frame and angles look more mature, and he wore its blue accents just as handsomely as green and gold. Supervisor and assistant supervisor glanced over each other, taking in their new appearances wordlessly.

"Looking good, Teach." Claude gave her a thumbs up. "I especially love the touch that your Sword of the Creator brings. Like, you're a maid that's ready to serve some punishment along with some tea."

Byleth resisted the urge to groan. "You know why I always keep my sword with me."

"Yeah, I know." Claude shot her a cheeky wink. "Although to be honest, I think I prefer you in your other dress. Your new maid’s dress is... little too domestic for my tastes."

Byleth hesitated, undecided whether to take that as a compliment or not. She opted to just shrug and say, "I'll change back into my Day of Devotion dress as soon as we're done. Come on now. We have a job to do."

Despite her eagerness to get started, she harbored some reservations about this temporary new role of hers. Serving food and drinks at a cafe was different than hosting tea parties for her students, and not just because of the actual work involved. She would have to deal with strangers instead of those she got to know throughout the school year. People that wouldn’t draw the same boundaries as her beloved students. 

Luckily, her first customers, a young couple from a local village, were easy to satisfy. Maybe they were too intimidated by the Sword of the Creator on her hip or too hungry for delicious cake to cause much trouble. The next few tables she served went just as smoothly. Perhaps too smoothly. It didn’t take long for word of Byleth’s and Claude’s job at the cafe to spread like wildfire. Their mere presence attracted much more customers than Dimitri anticipated. People were lining up at the entrance for the chance to be served by not just the prince of Faerghus, but the heir to the Leicester Alliance and the wielder of the Sword of the Creator. 

Thanks to their booming business, the time Byleth spent with guests became one big blur of chatter and cake. Although she did manage to sneak glances towards Claude in between sessions. He seemed fit right in with the bustling atmosphere, flexing his charm and social graces on lucky guests. He even seemed to be enjoying himself, despite his earlier hesitation.

As his supervisor, Byleth should be happy about his performance. But as someone wearing the same flower crown as him, she felt… upset? Disappointed? There was a want for something, but she wasn’t quite sure what it was. 

Thankfully, she didn’t have to stew in her strange desire for much longer. Ferdinand and Dorothea showed up to save them from their conscription. The latter seamlessly slid into an empty chair next to Byleth, as if she was a paying customer instead of her replacement.

“Well, well, well. Looks like someone’s popular today.” Dorothea murmured through a smirk.

“Hello, Dorothea.” Byleth replied back in her usual emotionless voice. “Thank you for coming in on such a brief notice.”

“It’s my pleasure. Really. Serving tea and cake will be a lot easier than my previous job.”

“What kind of job was that?”

“You didn’t notice Ferdie and me serenading random strangers?” Dorothea faked a shocked look. “People pay us to deliver messages of the musical variety. Although, now that we’re here, I think we’ve closed up shop for the day. I do have one last song to sing though. And what do you know, it’s for you, dear professor!”

Byleth blinked in astonishment. Before she could say anything, Dorothea’s melodious voice rang out over the courtyard and attracted the attention of everyone around them. Her song was a short and simple message from Edelgard, wishing her a happy Day of Devotion and apologizing for the fact that she couldn’t say this in person because of a family emergency in Enbarr. She ended the musical message by passing Byleth a red rose meant to be tied around her wrist.

A few bystanders applauded her performance. Dorothea somehow managed to bow in her seat. “Thank you! Thank you! Very kind of you!”

Enraptured by her beautiful melody and stunned by the spontaneity of it all, Byleth took quite a bit of time to say anything. But she managed to sound grateful when she finally got her tongue to work. "Thank you, Dorothea. The song and the rose are lovely. And I suppose I should thank Edelgard as well, when she comes back. Did she really mean to give these to me?"

Dorothea laughed softly. "The rose, yes. The song? Not quite. She didn't tell me to  _ sing _ it for you, only to pass the sentiment along. A song makes it much more memorable though, don't you think?"

“That it does. I should've thought of buying one from you.” A voice not belonging to Byleth interrupted them. She turned her head and found Claude standing behind her.

“Well, you should’ve hired my voice sooner. Because I have a rule saying I can’t sing to the same person twice. It’s not easy coming up with different lyrics that won’t bore the one being wooed.” Dorothea winked at him.

“Oh, drat.” Claude winked right back at her. “Leave it to Edelgard to beat me where it counts.”

Byleth tied the rose around her left wrist while Claude and Dorothea engaged in some more banter. But she supposed that she shouldn’t let them get too carried away. 

“So, Claude, are you ready to move on?”

“Actually, not yet.” He replied, much to her surprise. “I was hoping that, in lieu of a song, I could invite you to sit with me and partake in the finest tea and cake that Garreg Mach has to offer.”

“Hm?” Byleth stared at him, confusion written plainly on her face. “Are you asking  _ me _ to a tea party this time?”

Claude’s smirk faltered for a split second, but it came back quickly enough. “Feels weird to have the script flipped for once, doesn’t it? But seriously, Teach. We have some time to spare, and Lysithea made us a cake and everything.”

“To be clear, the cake is my Day of Devotion gift to you, Professor.” Lysithea clarified from her corner of the makeshift kitchen. “Claude had nothing to do with it.”

Another gift? At least this one wasn’t wearable, because Byleth was running out of space for accessories. “Well, if it’s already made, then there’s no better place to eat it than here. Why don’t you join us, Lysithea? I don’t know if Claude and I can finish an entire cake by ourselves.”

Claude sputtered for some unknown reason. A faint blush colored Lysithea’s cheeks as she crossed her arms. “I can’t accept my own cake from you! That defeats the purpose of a gift! And I can’t make time to eat with you anyway, since I’m on duty. However, I do expect another invitation in the future. Alright, Professor?”

Byleth nodded back, to Lysithea’s satisfaction. She sat down with Claude at an unoccupied table. While they waited for Lysithea’s cake and whatever tea was ordered, Claude struck up an easy conversation about their recent shift at the Blue Lions Cafe, which then branched into other topics. He did most of the talking, as he normally did, but his incessant chatter enabled Byleth to put a finger on her the yearning she felt earlier. 

She had missed this. The two of them, together, enjoying delicious cake and drinks like they were in one of Byleth’s private tea parties. And she wasn’t afraid to admit that Claude might be her favorite student to tea party with. He knew how to tell a story, how to make jokes, and how to coax words from her lips. He was easy to talk and listen to, and Byleth believed that he felt the same about her. 

It was just as Mercedes said. There was something special about sharing a table with someone she cared about, especially on a day that celebrated bonds as close as theirs.

The cake, and their time together, disappeared in a blink of an eye. Byleth was sorely tempted to stay a little longer, but she had to set a good example. The two of them changed back to their Day of Devotion outfits and went to Dimitri to give back their work uniforms.

“Again, thank you very much for your help.” He smiled while taking back the clothes. “And if it isn’t too much trouble, Professor, I would like to give you something to show my appreciation.”

Dimitri presented Byleth a blue rose not unlike the one pinned to his chest. Only this rose had a band around it, signifying its intended place around Byleth’s wrist and opposite to the red rose she got from Dorothea/Edelgard.

“You didn’t have to give me something because we helped you. It’s part of our job as supervisors.” Byleth murmured.

“I understand. But this rose isn’t just for that.” Dimitri held out the rose further. “You have done so much more for me during our time at the academy. I would be honored if you could accept my token of sincerest gratitude.”

In the face of such honesty, Byleth was just as honored to reach out and take the rose. “Thank you, Dimitri, for the kind words and thoughtful gift. I’m glad that we got to know each other as well as we do.”

“You’re welcome, Professor.” Dimitri replied. As she tied the blue rose on her right wrist, his eyes fell on the red rose on her other hand.

“Now I feel uncreative.” He chuckled to himself. “If you don’t mind me asking, who gave you your other rose?”

“It’s from Edelgard.”

“Ah.” He didn’t sound enthused by that response, which was probably only natural. Byleth sensed some sort of rivalry between them. “Is the flower crown also from her?”

“It’s from me, actually.” Claude butted in. The way he suddenly responded wasn’t subtle at all.

“Ah!” This time, Dimitri seemed fairly glad to hear the answer to his question. His gaze shifted from the top of Byleth’s head to Claude. “They suit both of you quite handsomely. But I shouldn’t let my nosiness keep you from your supervisory job. Please, take care.”

They gave each other their final farewells and hand waves before moving on from the cafe. Once they were out of earshot, Claude’s eyes flitted up to Byleth’s pink rose crown.

“Man, if I had known that Edelgard was going to give you a red rose and Dimitri a blue one, I would’ve totally picked yellow roses for you.”

“Don’t worry. I like the pink.” Byleth reassured him. “But if you’re really upset about the missed opportunity, we could rename the Golden Deer to the Pink Deer.”

Claude snorted in a poor attempt to suppress a loud laugh. “Heh. I’m not  _ that _ heartbroken over it. Besides, pink doesn’t look good on me.”

“It looks good when you’re wearing this.” Byleth flicked the petals of the crown adorning his head, causing him to blush. She couldn't admit it out loud, of course, but she thought the rosiness of his cheeks also looked cute on Claude.


	4. Optimistic comments made 5 years before disaster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because it wouldn't be a school festival story without a tournament arc... Don't worry, it won't take several chapters to finish. :P

The supervisory duo meandered around Garreg Mach to check on various stalls. They didn’t get roped into any more odd jobs, but their visits boosted people’s morale nonetheless. Marianne in particular was glad to see them at the horse-riding station near the stables. She gave Byleth a single light pink rose as a Day of Devotion gift, but since Byleth’s wrists were already occupied by other roses, she pinned her newest flower on her chest instead, right next to Lorenz’s red rose.

They soon themselves at the training grounds, where a tournament was being held. Streamers and flowers were hung all over the place, but they did little to subdue the din of the action taking place. With every close dodge, the audience roared, and with every parry, the clang of weapons echoed through the yard. Claude suggested that they take (another) break to watch the tournament, which struck Byleth with suspicion. She might have asked if he purposefully planned for this, but Leonie's racing footsteps and panicked expression stopped her words in their tracks.

"Professor! And Claude! I'm so glad you two showed up!" She exclaimed in between labored breaths.

"What's wrong, Leonie?" Byleth asked.

“We don’t have enough people for the tournament! Ingrid and Sylvain were supposed to be here, but I heard they got into trouble so now they can’t make it!” 

Leonie shoved a wrinkled piece of paper towards her face. Byleth had to gently push her hand away to read it. There were a lot of names on the list of participants, some of which she didn’t expect, either because she didn’t peg them to be fighting enthusiasts or they seemed too busy to join a tournament. And true to Leonie’s exasperation, Ingrid’s and Sylvain’s names were crossed out.

“Wow. Who knew that a bunch of spurned women could cause so much trouble?” Claude joked. “Let me guess. You want the two of us to take their place.”

“If you can, that would be great!” Leonie nodded. “But if we can’t, I’m sure I can find another pair at the last minute. Or we can give one of the teams a by. We just can’t keep pushing off the last fight for much longer.”

“There’s no need for that. I’m in.” Byleth replied without hesitation. 

Claude, on the other hand, balked at her immediate acceptance. “Whoa, Teach, don’t you think we need to hear the rules first?”

“You should already know them. Unless you, my assistant supervisor, haven’t read the outline I gave you?”

“Well, I don’t mind giving an explanation.” Leonie said to save Claude from further embarrassment. “This is a pairs tournament, meaning everyone has to enroll with a partner. One person will fight blindfolded, while the other person has to stand back and direct them with words. If someone is hit three times, or if they step out of bounds, they lose. Single elimination. Winner takes all. No using Crests or magic. And you have to fight with special weapons! But they’re harmless, akin to training weapons, so there’s no danger of getting stabbed or anything.”

Byleth’s mind flashbacked to the weapons in Ignatz’s stall. They would certainly make for a more flashy tournament, but she wasn’t sure about fighting with one.

“You forgot the most important detail, Leonie.” Claude smirked. “What’s the prize for winning?”

“4000g for each person.”

Claude let out a low whistle. “That’s a pretty hefty amount. But they’re good as ours, with Teach in the ring. Isn’t that right?”

Byleth, feeling self-assured of her skills even when blindfolded, simply nodded. Leonie, however, seemed to wince. “Oh yeah, and one other thing. Since the professor is a faculty member, not a student, she has to stand on the sidelines. For the sake of fairness.”

Claude let out a groan as he rolled his eyes. “You just had to pull the rug out from under us, don’t you?”

“Do you still want to do this, Claude?” Byleth asked. She too was a bit disappointed by the news, but commanding should be just as easy as fighting. It was what she has been doing for almost the past year, after all. The real question was if Claude had enough faith in his own skills…

He hemmed and hawed for a solid minute or two before glancing at Leonie. “Let me look at the list of participants again.”

“Sure.” Leonie handed it over. 

Green eyes scanned over the many names scrawled on the rumpled parchment, then narrowed as he came to a realization. “Wait a sec. You’re fighting too? But you’re a volunteer! In fact, almost half of everyone on here are volunteers! Is that even fair?”

“Yeah! Cause it’s not like we can sabotage the tournament or anything!” Leonie defensively folded her arms over her chest. “And you shouldn’t be arguing about ‘fairness’ when you got the professor on your side!”

“What, are you scared about getting stomped by her?” Claude gave the list back. “I’m going to be the one in the arena. You should be scared of  _ me _ ! … And Teach, yeah.”

“Big words for someone complaining just a few seconds ago!”

“Hey, Leonie! You found someone to fill in yet?” Raphael shouted as he ran up to her. He ended up answering his own question when he spotted Byleth and Claude. “Huh? The professor and Claude are joining?”

“Guess we are.” Claude suddenly changed his attitude with an easy smile. “And from the looks of things, we’re facing you in the first round.”

“Awesome! I can’t wait!” Raphael pumped a fist into the air. “But don’t think I’m going to go easy on you guys just cause I like you!”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” Claude’s smirk grew wider as he replied.

They had to hurry through their preparations so their fight could start on time. Out of the assortment of weapons available, Claude gravitated towards a bouquet of red flowers on a stick, aptly called a Melee Bouquet. Byleth helped Claude put on some armor pads, then a blindfold around his eyes. She couldn’t help but have her doubts about how he’ll fare while blindfolded. But if she learned anything from the last ten or so moons with him, she knew better than to underestimate Claude, and that there was no other student she would rather be fighting with.

Round one pitted Claude and Byleth against Raphael and Flayn. The former wielded crimson boxing gloves patterned with flowers and hearts, and the latter fidgeted in place as she sized up their opponents. Byeth didn’t expect to see Flayn here, away from her brother’s supervision, but she wasn’t about to complain. As much as she liked the spunky young girl, she had little combat experience, so this should be an easy win for them. Right?

Their judge, Catherine, shouted loudly to start the fight. In an instant, Raphael lunged at Claude with astounding speed, but his aim was off by the mile. Nonetheless, Claude recoiled from his foe’s exuberant roar.

“Claude! Be careful! You’re too close to the boundary!” Byleth warned him.

“Got it, Teach!” Claude took a step forward. “Just out of curiosity, how far am I from it?”

“I would say around three steps back.”

Claude gave her the faintest of nods. Flayn, for all of her naivety, wasn’t a complete idiot. She figured out what their opponents were up to almost as soon as she heard their plotting. “Raphael! Take great care not to overstep when you attack!” 

“Don’t worry!” Raphael yelled back. “He ain’t gonna stay standing after this! RWAAAUGH!”

It sounded like he was going to… totally ignore his partner’s advice and lunge at Claude. His fists were already flying through the air, appearing more like a blurry barrage rather than a flurry of punches. Byleth trusted that Claude could anticipate when to dodge, but she would rather be safe than sorry.

“To the left!” She shouted as soon as Raphael was upon him. Claude did as she ordered and dodged to the left. As expected, Raphael charged past him and over the line drawn on the ground. 

“And you’re out!” Catherine yelled. “The winner of this match is Claude and Byleth!”

“Aw, already?” Raphael grumbled as he slipped his blindfold off. Flayn didn’t say anything in particular, but she did let out a resigned sigh.

Claude also took off his blindfold to pat Raphael on the back. “Hey, chin up big guy. Now you know that fighting blind isn’t your forte.”

“More importantly, you should heed your partner’s warnings when given.” Byleth added. “In a fight like this, the key to victory lies in cooperation, not brute force.”

It was a good thing that Raphael didn’t take criticism poorly, like some students. His face lit up with a big smile as he nodded eagerly. “I get it now. That was fun while it lasted though! I’ll be rooting for you two to go all the way!”

“Yes!” Flayn concurred. “Please, Professor and Claude, win the tournament in the name of the Golden Deer!”

“Of course!” Claude smiled back at them. “We’re just getting started! Soon, everyone here will learn to fear the deer!”

As much as Byleth wanted to encourage their enthusiasm, she also knew that such arrogance might spell their downfall. Besides, they weren’t the only Golden Deer left in the tournament. From the fights that took place earlier, Leonie prevailed over Caspar by goading the teal-haired brawler into charging out of the arena, much like how Claude won over Raphael. With Lysithea’s guidance, Felix utterly devastated the inexperienced Cyril, even though he had Shamir on his side. But on the other spectrum of one-sidedness, Dimitri fought a long and bitter battle against Petra, with Dedue and Ashe practically biting their fingernails in anticipation. Eventually, Dimitri got the upper hand and landed his third and final strike on Petra, earning his team the chance to move on.

Round two had them facing Leonie and Alois. Byleth knew right off the bat that their previous strategy wouldn’t work against this dynamic duo. She was too crafty, he was too experienced, and both of them trusted each other well enough to not fall for a simple trap. Unless…?

Leonie descended on Claude rapidly, like a hawk diving after prey. Her lance, a long staff with blue flowers at its end, lashed out in a storm of practiced motions. Not all of them connected, thankfully, but one jab did strike Claude on his shoulder. He let out a grunt of pain right before Byleth told him to dodge another incoming blow.

This was an unfavorable matchup, to say the least. Leonie’s lance kept Claude too far to give him the opportunity to strike. All she had to do now was remain on her guard and retaliate according to Alois’s instructions. While Byleth continued to direct Claude’s evasive maneuvers, she thought long and hard about how he was going to make a comeback.

Apparently, Claude was also making up his own plan. A cocky smile appeared on his face as he narrowly avoided yet another attack. “Hey, Leonie, if you let us win, I’ll split some of my prize money with you.”

“Really, Claude?!” Leonie replied indignantly. Despite her bewilderment, her lance remained in a defensive position. “You’re going to try that on me?!”

“Well, is it working? I’m serious, you know.”

“No! It isn’t! I’m not in it for the money!” 

“To the right!” Byleth shouted out just before Leonie swung her lance. Claude followed her orders instantly, a smile still on his face as he dodged.

“So what are you fighting for?” He continued to needle Leonie. “Glory? For the thrill of it? Or are you trying to prove something to someone? Maybe to someone who isn’t here anymore?”

Byleth’s blood froze over at the implications of what he just said, and what he might say next. It was a dirty trick, invoking Jeralt against his self-proclaimed apprentice, but it was also the easiest way to throw her off. Too bad it nearly threw Byleth off as well. She shook her head and refocused on the match, not on the burgeoning feelings that might cost them everything.

“Claude, if you finish what you’re thinking…” Leonie growled in warning.

“Come on, be honest with me. I know you’re fighting for Jeralt.” Claude kept going, unphased. “Although is fighting his daughter really the best way to impress his spirit?”

“Over the line, Claude!” Alois booed, then turned to Byleth. “Professor, are you just going to take this?” 

“Oh, that’s IT!” Leonie didn’t wait for any kind of response and lunged forward with frightening ferocity.

Despite Claude’s questionable tactics, Byleth was glad to see an opportunity open up before them. With both Leonie and Alois distracted, now was the chance to strike. She refused to succumb to her emotions like they did and issued her orders in a calm and steely voice.

“Take two steps to the left. Then strike out three times at 4 o’clock.”

Claude gracefully stepped to the left, avoiding Leonie’s charge completely. He then pivoted around and slashed his Melee Bouquet at her exposed back. The first two hits landed with a solid thud. Leonie managed to recover from her blunder and brought her lance up to block the third hit. But Byleth did not waste any time to press their advantage.

“Take a step back, then strike low.”

One step backwards and one blow to the stomach later, Catherine declared Claude and Byleth the winners once more. Claude tugged his blindfold off and used it to wipe the sweat off his brow.

“Whew. You guys almost had us.” 

“But Professor! Catherine! Claude cheated!” Leonie yanked her blindfold free and threw it to the ground. 

“Did he?” Catherine raised an eyebrow in amusement. “Taunting your foe isn’t against the rules. And the professor didn’t mind, did you?”

Byleth shook her head. “When you let your temper get the better of you, you lose. It doesn’t matter how well placed your anger is. Besides, my father would have felt the same way.”

“Would he?” Leonie leveled a glare.

For a split second, the air between the Blade Breaker’s daughter and the Blade Breaker’s apprentice heated up considerably. Then, all the tension evaporated when Alois let out a hearty laugh and slapped Leonie on the back.

“He very much would have!” He crowed in agreeance. “Jeralt never did let things like dignity and chivalry get in the way of winning! That’s how the mercenary world works, after all. Now come on then. Give the professor and Claude a nice, sporting handshake!”

Leonie said nothing at first, her smouldering gaze relaying her thoughts clearly enough. But eventually, she acquiesced and stuck out a hand. “Congrats on making it to the finals. After the stunt you pulled, you better win!”

“We’ll do our best.” Byleth shook her hand.

“And my offer still stands.” Claude said as he shook Leonie’s hand next. “I feel a bit bad now, egging you on like that, so you can have some of my money if we win.”

“I’m not a poverty case, Claude!” Leonie rebutted, then in a quieter voice added, “But if you’re really offering, who am I to turn down free money?”

Byleth should have been relieved to see the orange-haired woman make up with Claude and the rest, but some part of her remained anxious. And it wasn’t Leonie she was fretting over this time. As soon as she and Claude could afford some privacy, she pulled him aside to talk.

“Claude. Even though your quick thinking won us the match, don’t say anything like that again.”

“Hm?” He blurted out. It sounded like a question was on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed it when he saw his answer written plainly on Byleth’s face.

“Oh. I’m sorry, Teach.” And a look of remorse crossed his face. “If I had known that I would upset you, I wouldn’t have provoked Leonie like that. Honest.”

The house leader of the Golden Deer may be known for his elusive attitude and half-truths, but his professor could tell when he was being sincere. The clues laid in the little things, like his serious tone and the lack of a smile on his face. These signs added an earnest and unspoken layer to his words, honing them into something Byleth could believe in.

“To be clear, I don’t mind if you taunt your opponents. Your wit is one of your most powerful weapons in your arsenal, and I know you didn’t really mean what you said.” She said in a stilted tone. “But… It would be best not to bring up my father like that in the future.”

“I hear you. I promise I won’t do it again.” Claude nodded. “It’s not like I’ll have the chance anyway, with Leonie and Alois out of the tournament. And I’m not stupid enough to rile up Dimitri or Felix. We have a tough enough fight ahead of us without me adding more fuel to the fire.”

That was true. Regardless of which of the two Blue Lions would be moving onto the finals, Byleth and Claude will be facing an uphill battle. Still, they watched the next match with bated breath. Both Dimitri and Felic were accomplished fighters, even when blindfolded. Furthermore, the animosity between them reached a fevered pitch in the arena, taking the form of frenzied movements, primal shouts, and deep frowns. If Byleth had to pick a side, she would have picked Felix and Lysithea to ensure a Golden Deer victory no matter what. But unfortunately, their skill and cunning couldn’t best the bond Dimitri shared with Dedue. While Felix ignored Lysithea’s advice to lash out wildly, Dedue guided Dimitri towards his third and winning hit.

Round three, the final round, was here. The heir to the Leicester Alliance stood on one side of the arena, and the prince of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus stood at the other. Behind them stood their advisors, Byleth Eisner and Dedue Molinaro respectively. The blindfolds went up, their weapons were drawn, and the judge signalled the start of the match with an ear-piercing yell.

“Three… two… one… GO!”

Like the last two fights, their opponent opened with a sprint. Dimitri’s lance, a long golden conical thing with an orange ribbon wrapped around it, stabbed at Claude multiple times. Claude did his best to stay light on his feet, but his efforts, even when combined with Byleth’s orders, didn’t save him from a blow to the arm. The power behind the thrust made Claude drop his sword. As he instinctively bent down to reach for it, the tip of Dimitri’s spear pierced through the space he once occupied.

Acting on an idea that suddenly sprang to mind, Byleth called out, “Claude! Your sword is at two o’clock!”

“Thanks, Teach!” He shouted back as he wrapped his fingers around the hilt of the weapon.

“Stay down, and swing towards nine o’clock!”

Claude did as he was told. His Melee Bouquet slammed into Dimitri’s legs, nearly sweeping the prince off his feet. Instead, Dimitri stumbled backwards and away from another sword swipe.

Each contestant had one hit on them now. Dedue, spooked by the lucky attack, asked Dimitri to act more defensively, griefing Claude and Byleth with the same problem that plagued their previous match. The long reach of Dimitri’s spear could safely keep Claude at bay, forcing him to act more recklessly in order to score two more points. And this time, Claude didn’t have anything to lord over Dimitri. 

Their dance continued. On Byleth’s commands, he darted in and out, hoping to get in a hit or two. He did succeed once, but not without enduring a blow in return. Now they each had two hits on them. The last strike would determine the champions. Byleth’s veins thrummed with anticipation as she tried to come up with a foolproof plan that would cinch their victory. She could spare a Divine Pulse or two, but it didn’t feel right to use her goddess-given powers during a Day of Devotion tournament. Not when they were supposed to demonstrate the strength of their bonds, above everything else.

Another slash, another thrust, another scuffle in the dirt, another failed attempt at deciding the winner. Dimitri wiped some sweat off his brows while Claude panted heavily. The prince’s seemingly small gesture was the spark of inspiration Byleth needed.

“Got any ideas, Teach?” He asked in between labored breaths. “Cause I’m not sure how long I can keep this up.”

“I do, actually.” She said softly, as to not garner their foes’ attention. “Brush your sword against the ground. Make it as dirty as possible.”

“What are you-” If a strip of fabric wasn’t covering Claude’s eyes, she would have seen them widen. “Ah. Gotcha.”

He lowered his sword until its tip touched the dusty arena floor. Byleth noticed how Dedue’s eyes narrowed in the distance. In an effort to appear natural, or at least to draw attention away from his suspicious motions, Claude grinned towards where he thought Dimitri was. Which was actually a few degrees off, but Byleth wasn’t about to correct him.

“You know, Dimitri, I’m surprised that you found time to participate in this tournament. Will the Blue Lions Cafe be ok without your supervision?”

“It’ll be fine.” Dimitri replied back hesitantly. “The cafe should be less busy while the tournament is running.”

“You think so?” Claude took a few steps forward, dragging his Melee Bouquet over the earth. “Actually, yeah, that’s probably true. Most of your fans will probably follow you here. Speaking of which, I was wondering something. How come Dedue isn’t working at the cafe with you?”

Dimitri opened his mouth to reply, but Dedue beat him to it. “I am… not suited for a job in hospitality. That is all. Keep your guard up, your Highness. I believe Claude and the professor are up to something.”

“Yes, of course.” Dimitri brandished his lance intimidatingly. 

But Claude was unperturbed by the show of force that he couldn’t see. “There’s no need for such hostility. What if I just want to talk instead of fight?”

“Somehow, I doubt that.” Dimitri’s grip on his handle tightened. “I saw what you did to Leonie and Alois. Let it be known I won’t fall for the same trick.”

“Oh, good. Cause I’m not trying to pull off the same trick.” Claude patted the ground with his sword. “By the way, I love the flowers you gave him, Dedue. I’ve never seen so many blue flowers in one place. Did you grow them all by yourself?”

His flattery had the opposite effect he intended. Or did he intend to embarrass Dedue so much, he brought a hand up to his face to cover faintly blushing cheeks?

“Please, Your Highness, he’s right in front of you.”

“Is he? Then I will put an end to this tomfoolery now!”

Dimitri hurtled towards him, his golden lance gleaming in the sunlight. Provoking him into attacking wasn’t part of the plan, but they could still make it work. In the face of the charging boar, Claude steadfastly remained in place, waiting patiently for Byleth’s command.

“Claude! To the right!”

He expertly dodged around Dimitri with a nimble step. Dimitri, undeterred by this setback, jabbed out to his right in hopes of catching his elusive target. The tip of his spear missed Claude’s chest by a half inch. 

This was it. Byleth yelled out as loudly as she could. “And… now!”

Claude’s sword swung upwards in one long arc. His sudden motion, and the dirt collected in the Melee Bouguet’s petals, kicked up a dust cloud around Dimitri’s face. Although the blindfold shielded his eyes, the prince of Faerghus still coughed and tried to wipe the irritants off his face, but ended up accidentally knocking his blindfold loose. His right eye, as blue as the winter sky, peeked out behind the dust and the strands of hair that fell over it. Compelled by his honorable nature, he stammered as he tried to fasten the blindfold back over his head. 

“Claude! Go for it!” Byleth ordered.

“Your Highness! Look out!”

Dimitri gave up trying to fix his blindfold and held out his lance a moment too late. Claude thrusted his sword forward and struck the blue flower on his chest. The third and final strike was theirs.

“That’s a wrap!” Catherine proclaimed. “The winners for this year’s Day of Devotion tournament are… Claude von Riegan and Byleth Eisner!”

Applause and cheers erupted all around them. Claude yanked off his blindfold and held it in the air like a trophy. Then, to Byleth’s surprise, he strolled over to her side and raised one of her arms skyward. The two of them basked in the roar of victory for a long while, until the excitement died down and Claude got tired of holding their limbs up.

When Dimitri and Dedue approached them, there wasn’t a hint of malice in their expressions. Just a genuine smile on Dimitri’s face, and a stern look on Dedue’s. Dimitri held out a hand towards Byleth and Claude. “Congratulations, both of you. That was a well-earned win.”

“Thank you.” Byleth shook his hand. “You two also fought admirably.”

“Yeah, I agree.” Claude shook his hand after Byleth. “You really made us fight for it. And to be honest, I didn’t think the dust trick was going to work.”

“It was a clever strategy. One that I couldn’t have come up on my own, nor could I have pulled it off so masterfully.” Even his voice indicated that he didn’t hold a grudge against them. 

Dedue, on the other hand, held a different opinion. “Your Highness, please don’t encourage him to stoop so low.”

“There’s no harm in it.” Dimitri retorted. “And it exposes a real weakness I might encounter on the battlefield. Though, I won’t have a blindfold on next time, so I’ll see your ruse coming next time.”

“Heh. Or maybe we shouldn’t try to fight each other in the first place.” Claude chortled.

“Yes. That will work too. Let us hope for a more cordial relationship from here on out.” 

They chatted amiably for a bit longer before Catherine showed up to bequeath to the winners pouches of gold coins. As nice as congratulations and pleasant words were, Byleth wasn’t afraid to admit that the sound of coins clinking together also brought her joy. Once Claude had returned his gear and weapon (and handed a few coins to Leonie), the two of them left the training grounds behind them with a newfound purpose in their steps.

“Claude, where did you want to begin your shopping spree?” Byleth asked him. Conventional wisdom indicated that they should save their money for something important, but they thought that on such a festive day, a little indulgence wouldn’t hurt anyone.

“Hm? You’re asking me for once?” Claude feigned a shocked look. “Normally I would tell you, but why don’t you guess this time? I bet you can figure it out.”

Byleth fell deep into thought. If he was making her guess, his first choice of shops must be really obvious. She glanced over him, then at the afternoon sun high in cloudless sky, then back to him and the way his eyes gazed southwards.

“It’s time for lunch.” She finally said.

“Right on first try!” Claude beamed at her. “And wouldn’t you know it, there’s a whole smorgasbord of food stalls near the dining hall! So what say you? There’s no better way to revel in our victory than to stuff ourselves!”

Byleth let out a huff that vaguely sounded like laughter. She could think of several better uses of their prize money, but she couldn’t deny his enthusiasm. Instead of replying out loud, she held out a hand towards him. With a gracious smile, he took it wordlessly and pulled her towards the feast that awaited them.


	5. What if I got you these flowers for other reasons? Haha, just kidding! Unless...?

To say that the food stalls only converged near the dining hall was a bit of an understatement. There were so many of them, they leaked to the paths around the greenhouse and the fishing pond too. Their mouthwatering scents and the tantalizing, oily gleam of food made Byleth just as famished as Claude as they walked through rows upon rows of stalls. The only reason why she didn’t spend all of her tournament earnings in one go was because Claude insisted on treating her to lunch. She still tried not to empty his wallet though, only selecting a few dishes that caught her eye (and stomach). After a veritable splurge, they settled their haul down in the dining hall.

“Mm! Cake is good and all, but nothing hits the spot like a roasted pheasant sandwich!” Claude proclaimed right before he took a bite out of said sandwich. He noisily chewed and swallowed the hunk of food, then licked off a bit of sauce that got on his lips. “Don’t tell Lysithea I said that.”

“I won’t.” Byleth reassured him. She sank her teeth into a hefty turkey leg and let out a satisfied hum.

The two of them kept eating, their sounds of dining replacing the idle chatter that should’ve been taking place. All of the work they did today, from supervising to serving to fighting, gave them an enormous appetite. Their food binge was only interrupted when Claude caught a glimpse of pink and blue hair in the corner. Byleth followed his gaze and found that they belonged to Hilda and Marianne.

“Should we invite them to sit with us?” She mumbled through a piece of bread.

“Nah, leave them be.” Claude shook his head. “They must have seen us when they came in. If they didn’t invite themselves over, that means they want to eat by themselves.”

“But what if they didn’t see us?”

Claude laughed while looking Byleth squarely in the eyes. “Trust me, Teach. We should let them have their fun.”

Byleth glanced back at Hilda and Marianne. Hilda had torn her fried dough in two and held the bigger piece in front of Marianne’s face. She was too far away to hear what they were saying, but judging from Hilda’s silly grin and Marianne’s blushing cheeks, the latter must be arguing against being fed by the former. The two women went back and forth for a bit before Hilda relented and set the fried dough on Marianne’s plate. That seemed to appease the blue-haired noblewoman. As she lifted the generous portion up to her mouth, Byleth noticed that the white rose on her wrist was remarkably similar to the one on Hilda’s hand…

“Claude.” She turned back towards him. “How long have they been together?”

"Like, together together? Or just together?" A corner of Claude's lips quirked upwards. "They've been pining for each other for moons, but today's the first time they're an official couple."

"How nice." Byleth resisted the urge to look at them again, lest they sense the pair of eyes boring into the back of their heads. "It sounds like you knew about them for a while."

"It's kinda hard not to when Hilda vents to you about her woes all the time."

"She vents to you?" Byleth blurted out.

"Who else is going to vent to? Ignatz? Leonie? Raphael? Or, heavens forbid, Lorenz?"

"What about me?"

Somehow, Claude found her response hilarious. He burst out into laughter, and didn't stop until people stared at them in concern. Good thing Hilda and Marianne were too preoccupied with sharing their kabobs to notice the commotion.

"Sorry, Teach. I'm not trying to make fun of you. It's just…" Claude tried his best to talk in between laughs. "I don't know if you would've realized what Hilda meant, even if she told you directly! You may be a genius on the battlefield and in the classroom, but your expertise unfortunately doesn't include the most baffling matter that is love."

Byleth folded her arms across her chest. "I solve everyone's problems on a daily basis though. A lot of students, even some faculty members, have come to me for advice."

"Have they ever asked for relationship advice?"

"Manuela has."

"Manuela is an outlier. She doesn't count." Claude waved a hand in dismissal. "But if you think that you know relationships well enough, then tell me this. Who else in Garreg Mach has paired up?"

Byleth mulled over the many inhabitants of Garreg Mach while stirring her soup absentmindedly. There were a lot of people that were close to each other, or have grown close to each other throughout the last several moons. But who among them were in an actual relationship? She reflected back on today’s events to recall who was wearing a flower, and who they shared a flower with.

One pair came to mind easily. “Dimitri and Dedue seem pretty close. I’m… not sure if there’s any romance between them, but it’s not out of the question.”

“That was an obvious one.” Claude chuckled. “For the record, it seems like they haven’t reciprocated yet, but it’s not because of a lack of love.”

“Ah.” Byleth mumbled. Of course a prince of Faerghus and a man of Duscur would have more obstacles towards a full relationship. It wasn’t really her business, being the Golden Deer’s professor, but she felt a bit sorry for them all the same.

Now she faced a roadblock of her own. Byleth couldn’t remember anyone else wearing matching flowers. She had to dive deeper into the past and form conjectures based on fleeting glances and intimate conversations between certain people.

“I think Raphael and Flayn have something.” She said after a lengthy pause. “Those two were always hanging out together for ‘shouting practice’.”

“Nice try, but no.” Claude shook his head. “Raphael is even more oblivious than you when it comes to love. And Seteth won’t let any man with romantic intentions near Flayn. He’s already suspicious of her platonic male friends, after all.”

“How about Felix and Lysithea?”

“Now you’re just listing the pairs that fought in the tournament.” A smirk crept up on his face, followed by dawning realization. “Although, hm. Maybe you’re onto something…”

Byleth allowed him some time to think before speaking up again. “So? Have I proven myself yet?”

“Not quite. There’s one couple that you’ve yet to mention. A pretty blatant one, at that.”

Byleth fell silent again, lost in her thoughts. She could try guessing more tournament pairs, but she had a feeling the answer Claude was looking for wasn't one. She glanced around, hoping to come across a clue in her surroundings or Claude's face. Her wandering gaze rested upon the pink flower crown on his head. The flowery headband on Byleth's own head felt heavy from her self-consciousness. Now that she thought about it, he never told her the reason why he got them for her as well as himself…

"Are you talking about you and me?" 

Claude spat out some spiced mead he happened to be drinking at the time. He had to hurriedly wipe his mouth and the part of the table he accidentally sprayed. Even though he took a moment to recover, his voice was still strained by shock and laughter.

"Teach, I was referring to Ingrid and Sylvain." He managed to sputter out.

For some reason, Byleth’s non-beating heart sank. She thought she was just trying to prove herself, yet Claude’s answer disappointed her more than it should have. Where did this feeling come from? And what did Claude think of her now? She should have tried to explain herself, maybe play it off as a joke. But all she could say was, "Oh."

"But hold on. Let's backtrack for a minute here." Claude stared intently at her. "Do you really think we're in a relationship?"

Byleth subconsciously touched the flowers in her hair. "I didn't think- I mean, not in the same way as Hilda and Marianne. But when you had us wear matching flowers..."

Now it was Claude's turn to breath out an 'oh'. "Teach, I'm going to be honest with you. The main reason why I gave you those flowers, and why I dragged you into the festival in the first place, was because I didn't want you to feel sad about the Day of Devotion. Like I said earlier, I'm not trying to replace your father or anything, but I didn't want you to dread this holiday either."

"That's…" Byleth wanted to say that was very kind of Claude, but it also felt odd to be cared for in such a way. Usually, she was the one handling people's woes. The reversal of roles left her at a loss for words.

“That's?” Claude raised an eyebrow. "If I'm overstepping, feel free to say so. I won't be offended."

"No. You're not overstepping." Byleth finally straightened herself out. "I appreciate all that you've done for me."

"Really? Glad to hear it. And you're welcome." Claude sounded vaguely relieved. "Say, now that I know I'm not too much of a busybody, can I ask you one other thing?"

"Go ahead."

He took a deep breath before letting loose his question. "If I told you that I had… other reasons… for giving you those flowers, what would you think?"

"What would I think…" Byleth murmured to herself as she studied Claude's face. She couldn't figure out what other reasons he was talking about from his expression alone. Nonetheless, she had several guesses as to what they were. 

The problem was she didn't have a good answer for Claude. She was fond of him, of course, but did they have something else between them, beyond a teacher-student or brothers-in-arms relationship? Her earlier, inexplicable feelings seem to indicate so. Yet, when she tried to put them into words, nothing came to mind.

"I don't know." Was the only thing she could say. "I guess I'm not as good of a relationship counselor as I thought."

To her surprise, Claude let out a laugh. "You know what? That's alright. I was just curious. You can forget all about it."

Byleth gave him a hard stare, but he lifted his mug to cover his face and to take a big gulp. By the time he set his cup back down, his real answer was washed away with the drink he just took.

If there was one thing Claude was good at, it was pretending that everything was alright. They continued chatting as if nothing happened. And she honestly didn't mind how abruptly he changed the subject. She just wished this persistent feeling of confusion and want would leave her alone. It put a damper on her otherwise pleasant lunch.

They finished eating in relative peace, but that didn't mean they were done with their job. The Day of Devotion festival wasn't over yet, not by a long shot, so Byleth and Claude still had plenty of supervising to do. In Byleth's case, she also had a lot of shopping to take care of. She wanted to return the affection given by all her students, and the only way to do that was to give them presents of their own. The task may seem daunting at first, with how many gifts she had to buy, but it should be easy to find all the flowers and trinkets she required amongst all the shops she had to check in on.

When she explained her plan to Claude, he seemed to be ok with it, but he also expressed interest in splitting off from her while she went gift shopping. They would be able to cover more ground this way, and she didn't really need his help in her somewhat personal endeavor. Sensing the logic behind his suggestion, Byleth agreed and left Claude to his own devices. But at the same time, she sensed some other motive beyond what he said out loud. She wondered if their earlier conversation had scared him off, or made him uncomfortable, or even disappointed him somehow. Whatever the case may be, his absence and the real, unspoken reason for it bothered her more than she thought it would. Byleth tried to keep her mind off of it, but every time she caught a glimpse of people wearing matching flowers, she remembered the pink flower crown atop her light green locks, which made her remember Claude, which made her question herself all over again.

The joy she brought to her student’s faces helped stave some doubts off. Byleth was having a good time searching for perfect gifts for everyone, and a better time giving them to their intended recipients. She bought flowers for Lorenz, Marianne, and Hilda, found practical gear for Leonie and Raphael, got something cute for Lysithea, and even procured stuff for Dimitri and Edelgard. The only people she had left were Claude and Ignatz, and she was already heading towards the latter at his stall.

As expected, Ignatz was delighted to receive a hand-painted trinket from Byleth. She honestly got a little embarrassed by all his profuse thanks, but managed to save herself by turning her attention to his assortment of ornamental weapons. There were enough coins left in her wallet to buy one of them if she wanted to. Sadly, it looked like the Heart's Blade was already claimed. Byleth didn't have a need for it, but now that it was gone, she had to admit that it would've been nice to have for display or something…

While examining the remaining wares, the wooden bow decorated with white roses and golden accents, called a Gratia, attracted her gaze. Like all the other weapons here, this bow wouldn't be useful in actual combat. Still, it looked nice to her untrained eye, and a skilled archer like Claude might find more things to appreciate about it.

"Oh, Professor. Are you interested in the Gratia?" Ignatz piped up. "It comes with a matching quiver and arrows at an additional cost."

Cornered by his question, Byleth had to make a prompt decision. She reached for her coin pouch and placed most of its contents on the counter. After this hefty purchase, she won't be able to buy much else, but thankfully, she wouldn't need to.

"I'll take them both. And would you be able to gift wrap them?"

"Of course, Professor!"

After completing the transaction, she left the stall carrying an awkwardly shaped parcel. Byleth wouldn't be able to do much else with Claude's present in hand, so she hoped to find him soon. Her pace quickened as she roamed the festival grounds with new purpose, only slowing down once she spotted a familiar shade of brown hair. As she got closer, she noticed a similarly gift wrapped object attached to his waist, although its shape was different from the Gratia she intended to give to him. An errant idea crossed her mind, but since it was unlikely, she chased it out just as quickly as it formed.

"Claude." She called out to him. "How was your supervising?"

"It went well." He nodded back, then glanced down at her conspicuous item with a smirk. "Heh. I see that we both had the same idea."

"What do you mean?" He couldn't be talking about what she was thinking about, was he?

"You can't guess? Here, let's go someplace more private so we can exchange gifts, shall we?"

He _was_ talking about what she was thinking about. Yet Byleth remained calm as she followed him away from the bustling festival and towards a lone tree standing in a grassy lawn. Once they were sure that there were no busybodies, Claude unstrapped the gift from his belt and handed it to Byleth.

"Happy Day of Devotion, Teach." He announced, without his usual flourishes or humorous tone. She rarely seen this level of humbleness from him before.

"Thank you." Byleth started to unwrap it right away. She shouldn't be surprised by the gleam of white steel underneath the torn paper, but she still found it hard to believe that the coveted Heart's Blade was in her grasp.

"I saw you wielding it earlier, and for someone who doesn't usually go for fancy decorations, you seem to like it quite a bit." Claude smiled. "Luckily I had the money and the fortuitous timing to snag it before anyone else. So am I right? Do you like it?"

She gripped its crimson hilt and gave it a swing. It still didn't feel like an adequate weapon, but now, it was more than just decoration. It was a gift from Claude, a reminder of their time together during this Day of Devotion, and something more valuable than any sword crafted by the finest smiths.

Byleth couldn't find the words to express her deepest gratitude. She could only put the sword away and bow her head. "You're right in that I have little use for mantelpieces, but I still love it. Thank you, Claude. This was very thoughtful of you. And I have something for you in return."

Now it was her turn to give Claude something. Byleth held out the giftwrapped Gratia, which he accepted graciously and uncovered zealously. His eyes glimmered like a pair of green jewels as he lifted the ornate bow and its quiver out of its encasing. 

"Wow! Thanks, Teach!" He slung the quiver over his shoulder. "I saw this at Ignatz’s stall and thought about getting it as a treat for myself, but I could only buy one weapon and I figured a present for you would be a better use for my gold. Funny how things worked out anyway, eh?"

Claude plucked at its bowstring, producing a pleasant twanging sound. He then pulled an arrow out and nocked his new bow in one smooth motion. He didn't fire the arrow, but he kept tugging at the string and assuming several archery stances to test it out. Byleth didn't think he could look any happier, but his beaming face rivaled the sun in brightness and proved her wrong.

"Teach, can I tell you something?" He asked after he was done with his practice. "Don't worry, I'm not going to put you on the spot like last time."

"Sure." Byleth nodded.

"Thanks. The truth is…" Claude inhaled deeply, as if he was about to confess something. "This is my first Day of Devotion ever. I've never been to a festival like this before."

"You haven't?"

"Yeah. I never celebrated the Day of Devotion while growing up. Well, actually, there was a similar holiday, but it involved more fighting and less flowers. I like this better, as you can imagine."

"This does seem more your style." Byleth nodded towards the presents in their arms. "But you didn't even attend any festivals with your grandfather?"

"Nah, he was too busy last year. Although he did give me a pretty great Day of Devotion present."

"Which was?"

"I got to sit with him during a roundtable session." 

The way Claude grinned indicated that he wasn't joking. Byleth was well aware of his inclination towards politics, but she never would've considered a debate with argumentative nobles as a gift, not by any stretch of the word.

"That sounds nice." She managed to say with a straight face.

"Yeah, fun times. My grandfather's more suited for the roundtable than a festival anyway." He nodded, unabashed. "Anyway, for my first real Day of Devotion, I wanted to try everything that this festival had to offer. The gifts, food, the tournament, the cafe, and especially the matching flowers. And I wanted to do all of that with you, Teach. We would make a fantastic pair, not just because I like you, but because we could make new, happy Day of Devotion memories together."

There were many things Byleth wanted to say in response, but she ended up blurting out the first thing that came to mind. "So… Did today's festival meet your expectations?" 

"What kind of question is that? Of course it did!" Claude laughed as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I had a lot of fun with everything, including the time I had to dress up as a butler, and it's all because of you. You're the best… Professor? Friend? Partner? That a guy could have. Thank you, Teach, for putting up with my whims."

The soft sincerity in his voice stirred Byleth's emotions. It was a change from his usual coyness, or his flustered questions in the dining hall, but it wasn't unwelcome. In this peaceful area, away from the crowd and nosy ears, she could get used to hearing Claude like this more often.

By following his example, she at last found the words that could convey the emotions accumulating within her. Byleth touched her Heart's Blade absentmindedly. "I… think I feel the same way. This was my first Day of Devotion without my father. Although I will always miss him, you made our time together truly special and unforgettable. Thank you, Claude."

Her heartwarming sentiments, once released, lingered in the space between them and quelled whatever Claude had to say, but only for a moment. Once he absorbed it all, he grew a big, silly grin and suddenly wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"You're welcome, Teach! But you know, the festival isn't quite over yet. We still have time to enjoy ourselves, if you're up for it."

"What happened to supervising?" Byleth asked in a lighthearted tone.

Claude ended up laughing in her ear. "Did you believe that's what we're doing? I mean, if you enjoyed it, more power to you, but I honestly made up our jobs so you wouldn't feel guilty about participating in the festival."

"... I suppose I suspected something like that on some level." Byleth confessed. Leave it to Claude to come up with a complicated plan to rope her into attendance. "But I'm not upset. Rather, I'm grateful that it worked."

"Oh? Happy to be of service." Claude exclaimed happily. "So now that we're free from our supervisory duties, what did you want to do next?"

Byleth paused to think. There was actually one last person to gift. Before, she wasn't sure about bringing Claude along, but after their little heart-to-heart, she couldn’t think of anyone better to accompany her.

"Let's go to the flower shop." She eventually stated. "There is something I need to pick up there…"

* * *

Garreg Mach's cemetery was far from the Day of Devotion festival, but Byleth appreciated the peace and quiet for once. And she was certain that if Jeralt was alive, he wouldn't mind it either.

She gently set down a vase of valerians in front of the gravestone he shared with her mother. Behind her, Claude watched in solemn silence. He was so quiet, Byleth could pretend that he wasn't there. Yet she kept his presence and his wordless support in the back of her mind, in order to hold herself together. 

Byleth knelt down beside her offering of flowers and leaned her head against the tombstone. She knew what she wanted to say to Jeralt. He would be curious as to how his daughter fared on her first Day of Devotion without him. She only hesitated because she didn’t know what to say to her mother, Sitri. Then again, if she was as kind and understanding as her father, she too would be delighted to hear Byleth’s stories.

"Hello, father, mother." She ended up whispering. A barely perceptible breeze blew through the valerians.

"I brought some flowers for the two of you today. Don't worry about getting flowers for me. Claude already took care of that, among other things. Still, I wish you were here..."

She swallowed a sob. As understanding as Claude was, she didn't want to cry all over a gravestone in front of him. Instead, she stayed as she was, crouching in the dirt and mentally rambling about topics like the festival, the fights, her difficult but wonderful budding emotions, and the man who gave her matching flowers this year. No doubt her parents would be proud of how well she was coping, and if they were happy for her, then she was happy too.

By the time she was finished, she had to pry her frozen fingers off the stony surface. Byleth wobbled as she stood up, but her gaze remained steady and fixated on Jeralt's and Sitri's vase of flowers. Now free from worries, all she had to do was say goodbye to them. She gave the tombstone one last loving touch before taking a step back. 

"Happy Day of Devotion. I love you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end of that! Ideally, I would've liked to finish this sooner, but the ideas kept running away from me. Oh well. More fluff is always nice, right? If you made it this far, thank you for your support!


End file.
